Vintage Photos of Venice Beach in ’85 are Classic SoCal

StaffArts

Kay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. "I want to remain young foreverKay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. "I want to remain young forever," she says. Her motto is, "If you don't use it you lose it."; Credit: Claudio EdingerKay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. "I want to remain young foreverKay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. "I want to remain young forever," she says. Her motto is, "If you don't use it you lose it."; Credit: Claudio Edinger"If you don't use it you lose it."; Credit: Claudio EdingerKay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. "I want to remain young forever," she says. Her motto is, "If you don't use it you lose it."; Credit: Claudio EdingerEliot Rosen: A SikhKay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. "I want to remain young forever," she says. Her motto is, "If you don't use it you lose it."; Credit: Claudio Edinger'Don't hold your breathKay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. "I want to remain young forever," she says. Her motto is, "If you don't use it you lose it."; Credit: Claudio Edingerwrites for health-oriented magazines and plays the drums for a belly dancer.; Credit: Claudio EdingerKay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. "I want to remain young forever," she says. Her motto is, "If you don't use it you lose it."; Credit: Claudio EdingerNatasha Hankle and John Hayden: She is an ex-Playboy PlaymateKay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. "I want to remain young forever," she says. Her motto is, "If you don't use it you lose it."; Credit: Claudio Edingerand Natasha would like to go into word processing. They've been together since high school.; Credit: Claudio EdingerKay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. "I want to remain young forever," she says. Her motto is, "If you don't use it you lose it."; Credit: Claudio EdingerLisa Lyon: A performance artistKay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. "I want to remain young forever," she says. Her motto is, "If you don't use it you lose it."; Credit: Claudio Edingerincluding a book about her entitled Lady. A TV producerKay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. "I want to remain young forever," she says. Her motto is, "If you don't use it you lose it."; Credit: Claudio EdingerguitarKay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. "I want to remain young forever," she says. Her motto is, "If you don't use it you lose it."; Credit: Claudio Edingermartial artsKay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. "I want to remain young forever," she says. Her motto is, "If you don't use it you lose it."; Credit: Claudio Edinger" she says.; Credit: Claudio EdingerKay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. "I want to remain young forever," she says. Her motto is, "If you don't use it you lose it."; Credit: Claudio EdingerHispanic family at the Boardwalk showers; Credit: Claudio EdingerKay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. "I want to remain young forever," she says. Her motto is, "If you don't use it you lose it."; Credit: Claudio EdingerTony Braithwaite: A sound engineerKay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. "I want to remain young forever," she says. Her motto is, "If you don't use it you lose it."; Credit: Claudio Edingerfortifies your organsKay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. "I want to remain young forever," she says. Her motto is, "If you don't use it you lose it."; Credit: Claudio Edinger

In 1985, Brazilian photographer Claudio Edinger published in book form a series of photographs he took of the denizens of Venice Beach in their natural habitat: a bodybuilder in the surf, a roller skater soaring over an aging skateboarder, beachgoers showering off after a day in the sun.

What became of Edinger's subjects? Ana Kozak, owner of Le Magazyn in Venice, was able to track down a handful of the characters featured in Edinger's photos, and on Thursday, Aug. 4, several of them will gather at the boutique-slash-gallery for a reunion with the photographer after 31 years. 
Edinger will sign the remaining copies of his book, and the original, large-format versions of the photographs will be on display for the first time since the book's release. In the meantime, here's a sampling of the photos from Venice Beach, with captions from the original text written by Edinger with quotes from the subjects.

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.